Grafton Architects, headed by Yvonne Farrell and Shelley McNamara, surprised and delighted most of their peers in 2002 when they won the competition to design a new building for Bocconi University in Milan. That a relatively small Irish practice could win such a plum job was - and still is - seen as a remarkable achievement. Six years on, the massive new building, occupying the length of a city block is now complete and will be officially opened tomorrow in the presence of the Italian president, Giorgio Napolitano, and European Commission president, José Manuel Barroso, after mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi.
Lakehead University and Moriyama and Teshima today unveiled the first structure in Lakehead's new campus. This and all future buildings on the campus will be designed and constructed to achieve Canada's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum status. Located in Orillia, Ontario, the Lakehead University - Orillia campus will be a living model of healthy environments, the conservation of natural resources, a high level of energy and water efficiency, and a reduction in the production of waste and release of substances harmful to the biosphere.
Ireland Bord Gáis Networks has announced that the winner of the National Distribution Control Building at Dubber Cross, Finglas is Denis Byrne Architects. The winning scheme offered an innovative and achievable work of modern architecture. The entry scored very high from a sustainability point of view. The project utilised the site well, making the building at the southern end and locating the parking behind it. The amorphous external form with projecting tower (which would be visible across the M50) was innovative; the internal layout studded with natural ventilation courtyards was flexible and interesting, offering cross views to landscape. The relationship between the different working areas was appropriate with the sense of a common working environment.
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